I'm looking to trap hogs in a very large "pen" at least one acre in size. I'm a hog hunter but not a trapper so I'm really interested in your thoughts. The idea would be if the pen is large enough the hogs aren't as stressed or hesitant to enter (See photo below)

- Build an octagon shaped pen 1 acre in size (roughly an 800 ft perimeter)- Have a ultra wide gate entrance (approximately 20 feet wide)- Setup a corn feeder in the pen at the opposite end of the gate- Setup a cell phone camera next to the feeder- Create a light trail of corn from outside the gate to the feeder- Setup would be in hardwood timber - I live less than 15 minutes from this lease. When I get a picture from my cell camera of the hogs I can go physically close the gate. - I typically would be able to remove the hogs a dawn the next morning (the hogs would never be trapped for more than 12 hours)- The pen could remain totally closed to during deer season, allowing deer to jump the fence but keeping hogs out

Questions Will this work?Would 1 acre be large enough?Is the octagon the right shape? What size fence and style would you recommend?

I know there was a ranch that built a 2.5 acre "trap pen" to hold hogs in that they caught in their other smaller traps. They always had hog running around the outside, so they built a small trap on each side that had a gate into the larger trap. This was back in the 80's. They would keep feed and water in the larger pen trap continuously.

I would make sure to have a camera by the gate as well because larger/smarter hogs are going to be sitting outside waiting to see what happens to the dumb ones. Might take 3 days or 3 months to get the smarter ones in the trap. One thing is for sure....if they see that gate close while they are outside, 99% chance you lost your opportunity for those hogs.

It would not be necessary for the pen/trap to be an acre in size, but that is fine if you like.

Avoid 90° 'corners' regardless the size of the trap, hogs will 'pile up' in corners (initially) and literally climb one over the other. So your Octagon shape (or a round pen) is correct.

The larger the entrance point (also seen as an escape route by hogs) the better. Hogs (especially groups) are much more apt to enter a pen with a large entrance than a small one.

Note: I prefer to use full 5' utility panels with 4" squares. I've had too many hogs clear (or climb) 4' high panels and the smaller panels squares (4") prevent all but the smallest piglets from escaping. Typical 'Cattle Panel' will allow little ones to get out (or get wedged in the panel).

Ive always wanted to build a big one like that, and when it was loaded just shut the gate myself. I would make a v shaped loading spot that would be shut off and then opened to load hogs. The sooner you get them loaded the better. They are some cunning animals. They will actually bunch up and make a ladder to climb out. Also they get very aggressive when penned up. A hog can whip its head back at a 90 degree angle in a millisecond and harm you, just incase you feel the need to straddle one. Short neck long reach, lightning fast, and those dull looking tusk will go through a hog dog vest with no problem. Just don't let your guard down ever!

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Sometimes you just have to hold back. The odds are stacked against me and him. Then you see him in mid Febuary with full head gear and the glory hits you. Next season will be wanted even more.

Ive always wanted to build a big one like that, and when it was loaded just shut the gate myself. I would make a v shaped loading spot that would be shut off and then opened to load hogs. The sooner you get them loaded the better. They are some cunning animals. They will actually bunch up and make a ladder to climb out. Also they get very aggressive when penned up. A hog can whip its head back at a 90 degree angle in a millisecond and harm you, just incase you feel the need to straddle one. Short neck long reach, lightning fast, and those dull looking tusk will go through a hog dog vest with no problem. Just don't let your guard down ever!

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Sometimes you just have to hold back. The odds are stacked against me and him. Then you see him in mid Febuary with full head gear and the glory hits you. Next season will be wanted even more.

I Agree that you don't really need an acre sized trap. There's nothing really wrong with it, although it may be hard to get the hogs out. Do you plan to take them out alive to sell to a processor, or just shoot them in the trap? Either way, they'll have a fair amount of room to run around and get away from you in an acre.

A large entrance 'should' entice more hogs to enter the trap. I've heard of folks who make two funnel-shaped openings, or rather an entrance and an exit, so that the hogs get accustomed to 'passing through' the trap. One funnel leads into the trap, the other makes it easy to go out. When they wish to trap hogs they close the exit and set a trigger on the entrance.

Otherwise, Flintknapper's comments apply.

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You can never have too much ammo — unless you're swimming.

I was thinking a one acre pen since that would put the gate around 220 ft from the feeder. I'm comfortable with that distance to quietly close a gate in darkness with hogs. How close do you think the gate and feeder could be without spooking the hogs?

I personally would only shoot them, but if I could devise a reasonable way to move them into a livestock trailer that would be a bonus.

I'd think about a remote gate closing mechanism, even if it's just a rope you yank on from 50 or 100 feet downwind from the gate. I wouldn't worry about closing the gate quietly, I'd concentrate on doing it quickly. Once it's closed, the hogs are caught.

Or are you thinking about a conventional cattle gate that you swing shut and latch?

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You can never have too much ammo — unless you're swimming.

I'd think about a remote gate closing mechanism, even if it's just a rope you yank on from 50 or 100 feet downwind from the gate. I wouldn't worry about closing the gate quietly, I'd concentrate on doing it quickly. Once it's closed, the hogs are caught.

Or are you thinking about a conventional cattle gate that you swing shut and latch?

I was thinking about something like a pair of 10 ft wire filled gates with a post in the center or possibly a single 16 ft gate.

A single 12' gate would be plenty wide. Your focus will need to be on a way to close it 'quickly'.

A potential problem I foresee...with too large a pen/trap, is that hogs (at least the educated/pressured ones) will be reluctant to enter the trap very far away from what they know to be the escape route (read gate). The answer to that (as previously mentioned) is a 'walk through' pen (gates on each end). It is my opinion...that you can simply dispense with that option by making a trap that is 'optimally' sized.

If I understand you correctly, your plan is to make a large trap, with the bait area at the far end of the trap. So large...that it would allow you to approach the trap (un-noticed) and shut it manually? I think in reality...what you will experience are few hogs willing to go that far away from the gate (escape route). Instead...I would expect to see them milling around outside the panels near the bait area, possibly digging under after time.

Another possible issue involves your 'approach' to the trap. Even if you are extremely quiet, you will likely have hogs on the periphery to deal with and of course...if the wind in not in your favor you will be 'busted' hundreds of yards before you ever reach the trap.

You indicate that your plan (at least initially) is to shoot the trapped animals. That is fine, but in such a large area you would literally have to go in and stalk them. I don't know if you have experience with trapped hogs, but when it comes time to dispatch them (or load them), the less room they have...the better.

It would not be impossible to rig up a lightweight 12' gate to drop 'guillotine style', but it would still require you to come up with something that the hogs themselves trigger or that you trigger remotely.

Even so, do not expect to catch every pig. They become 'trap shy' very quickly, believe me.

Seriously, Flintknapper's comments about potential problems with stray hogs busting you when you approach the trap to manually close the gates are right on. I'd recommend a smaller trap with a closing mechanism triggered by the hogs. Simpler and more reliable. a) You don't really need a 1 acre trap, although the larger the entrance the better. b) Collecting or shooting hogs is easier in a smaller trap. c) Smaller traps are cheaper and easier to construct and maintain.

You'll never catch them all, but keep trying and let us know how it all goes.

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You can never have too much ammo — unless you're swimming.

If you had an old open gap on the property that the hogs travel through on a regular basis, that might be a good comfortable spot to build the beginning of your trap. And leave the backside open for a while, so they can travel through the fenced in area with comfort. If its going to be built this spring put the trap in a position that can be accessed with a Texas dominate south wind in your favor if you want to close it by hand. If there is some cover on the gate end there wont be a problem with just sneaking or running up to it and closing it. With the large size they will just run away from you and not towards the exit. Then its just pigs in a barrel. bang bang!

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Sometimes you just have to hold back. The odds are stacked against me and him. Then you see him in mid Febuary with full head gear and the glory hits you. Next season will be wanted even more.

How big of a pen would it take for hogs to feel like they have simply walked through a opening in a fence and less like they have walked into a "trap"?

Everyone talks about hogs getting shy to traps, I'm wondering if you make the trap & gate large enough does that become much less of an issue. I'm not as worried about the cost of this, but do I want a permanent trap pen that remains useful over the next 20 years or so. It might also have some value in protecting food plots from hogs.

As you can see from my graphic below, the cost per acre fenced comes down per acre the larger the pen gets.